A Liar Will Not Be Believed
by NineTimesBlue
Summary: Drake always tries to skip school by pretending to be sick.   This time - thanks to their little sister Megan - he gets sick for real   but his Mom doesn't believe him and sends him to school anyway.      Just a little h/c Fluff!
1. Intro

Title: **A Liar Will Not Be Believed**

Author: StuckBetweenFantasyAndReality

Fandom: Drake and Josh

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own those two guys, neither am I earning money with it.

Summmary: Drake always tries to skip school by faking to be sick.

This time (thanks to their little sister Megan) he gets sick for real

but his Mom doesn't believe him and sends him to school anyway.

Authors Notes: I had a Beta-Reader, but it's still possible that the grammar is twisted sometimes,

English is not my mothertongue. But as far as I know this story is okay :)

**[Intro]**

[Both of them staring at the camera: Drake is sitting at his bed strumming his guitar, Josh is lying in his bed, looking annoyed.]

Josh: "Do you know what really sucks?"

Drake: "Do you know what's pretty cool?"

Both: "Being sick"

Josh: "Do you know why?"

Drake: "I'll tell you why!"

Josh: "Well, for one thing, you miss a lot of school."

[He makes a dreadful face]

Drake: "First: You miss a lot of school."

[He gives a winning smile]

Josh: "And you're just lying in your bed and are not up to do something."

Drake: "Oh, my favourite part, you don't have to do something, you just may lie

down in your bed and relax."

Josh: "But what I hate the most, is _Drake_ being sick!

Or I'd better say, Drake _exaggerating_ being sick…"

Drake: "Oh, just shut up, Josh!"

[Throws a box of tissues at him and it hits his head.]

Josh: "Ouch! Drake, what was that for? It's the truth!"

[Rubs his head with a pained expression]

Drake: "I don't want you to tell crap!

I'm not faking,…well, at least not toda…heh…day."

[Rubs roughly at his nose and continues playing guitar.]

Josh: "That's the point! Although you have a little cold you're able to

visit school, but you're faking the flu just to stay home, that is really…"

[gets interrupted]

Drake: "Heh'Ksshh-uhhh…"

[Bends forward and sneezes roughly into his hands]

[Josh sighs annoyed and throws the tissue box back to his brother]

Josh: "Bless You. Well, what I was saying is, that…"

[Gets interrupted once again and watches Drake sneezing

all over his hands and bed in disgust]

Drake: "Heh'KiSHH-uhh, Heh'ISHhh"

[Drake sniffs wetly and continues playing guitar like nothing happened,

also ignores Josh and the Kleenex box]

Josh: "Eww…Do you really touch your guitar with that germy hands?"

Drake: "Uhm…Not only my guitar."

[Gives a devilish grin and watches his brothers face adopting

an expression of shock and disgust]

**[Intro ends]**


	2. Martians And A Damp Pillow

"Mummy? May I bring my friend Jules for dinner?

Her parents are on uhm…a business trip for the whole day, and she isn't feeling that well.",

Megan asked, giving her Mum a begging look with her big, brown eyes.

"Oh Darling, you're so sweet and caring. Sure Jules may come over, just phone her.",

her mother Audrey secured her, gently touching her daughters brown hair and handed her the phone.

"Thank you Mummy.",Megan hugged her mother tightly, hiding a winning smile on her face.

**[Change of scenery: Downstairs in the living room at Lunch]**

"You don't sound that well Jules, I can't believe that your parents left you alone like this.",

Audrey said indignantly.

Jules raised her eyebrows and looked confused at Megan.

"Uhm, don't worry Mrs. Parker, I'm doing alright without them.

But it's very kind you're worried about me.", the girl responded hesistantly, her voice thick with congestion, and sniffed wetly, causing Drake and Josh to cringe in disgust.

**[Change of scenery: Late evening, the boys are playing Nintendo in the living room]**

Josh, pressing a lot of buttons at the same time, shouts in triumph,

"Hah! You poor, ugly human! My Martians nearly destroyed your shuttle, soon you'll be…"

[He makes an exploding sound and is sure to win the game]

"Nope, I don't think so.", Drake grinned devilishly, pressed a button, and suddenly Josh's shuttle exploded with a loud noise.

"Game Over. Player 2 won.", appeared on the screen of the TV causing Josh to whine in frustration.

"But…but…but…," he muttered, not believing what just happened.

Drake laughed boldly and headed to the fridge.

"Want one, too?" he asked and pointed at the popsicle he had just taken out.

Before Josh could answer, there was a suspicious noise coming from upstairs.

"There's someone in our room!" Josh shrieked alarmed, then his voice darkened.

"…**Megan**!" Drake and he barked in unison before running up the stairs and rushing into their room, ready to find …nothing!

"This beast, where is she?" Drake growled, peering out of the open window into the garden.

"Not here," Josh announces, returning from Megan's bedroom. They scanned their room for something Megan-like, but there was nothing.

Megan was making both of them paranoid and jumpy with playing them tricks at any time of the day.

Drake fumbles for his belt.

"What are you doing? Do you want to strangle her?" Josh asked a bit confused.

"Hey, great idea, but, nope, I'll go to sleep now," his brother answered and climbed into his loft bed.

Josh changed into his pyjamas as well and crawled under his covers.

"Eww, did you spill something on my pillow, Josh?" Drake asked crossly.

"Huh? No. Why?"came the sleepy answer from the other bed.

"Just feels kinda damp."

" 's just the air…"

"Alright…Forget it."

Drake yawned heartily and rested his head on the soft pillow.

Within minutes the room was filled with quiet breathing.


	3. A Liar Will Not Be Believed

*** * * [The next morning] * * ***

The first thing Drake noticed when his alarm clock rang was that he was awfully cold.

Teeth chattering, he wrapped his blanket tighter around himself and sat up.

"J-J-Josh! D-Did you s-s-switch off the hea-heating? It's freezing in he-here!",

he managed to say and winced because speaking slightly hurt his throat.

At this point he noticed Josh changing into jeans and a t-shirt, not freezing nor shivering at all. "Freezing cold?", Josh asked dazedly, "The heating is running full force. Hurry up, we're late"

Still shivering Drake wrapped himself up warmly, muffling a cough into his hand.

Josh noticed him pulling on a sweater although he already was dressed like he wanted to make an expedition to the South Pole, and noted blankly, "Uh wait…You're seriously cold?".

"Shut up, Josh," his brother spit out before an unexpected cough caught him and left him gasping for air. "Whoaa, you alright?", Josh interrupted the silence which followed.

"Don't think so.", his stepbrother admitted and shrugged. Josh sighed.

"Alright, go back to bed.", he ordered and Drake followed with a sigh of relief.

*** * * [Downstairs at breakfast] * * ***

"Morning Josh. Is Drake still sleeping? You're pretty late!", his stepmother Audrey greeted him when he entered the living room. "He's sick in bed.", Josh answered and grabbed something to eat. Audrey poured him some juice and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure he is. Like every day you've got English class with Mrs. Hayver.", she responded sarcastically, "He should know, that that excuse is getting old."

Before Josh could react his stepmother rushed upstairs, mumbling "Argh, that truant!" and left him standing alone in the kitchen. Shrugging he emptied his glass of juice, shouldered his school bag and left the house.

*** * * [Upstairs in the boy's room] * * * **

A few loud knocks on the door startled Drake awake from his state of semi-consciousness and he sat up, moaning, "Come in." His voice sounded weaker than he expected it to be.

Vigorously his mother entered the room, an angry expression on her face.

"What do you think you're doing?", she barked and approached.

"Lying in my bed and feeling like crap…?", Drake offered but flinched when his mother pulled his blanket away and grunted, "Drake Parker, I'm tired of you skipping school, so get out of your bed and go to school!"

"But Mum! I'm really not feeling well! Why don't you believe me?", he exclaimed whiny and immediately started shivering.

"Tell that your teachers. So, out you go!", Audrey stayed pitiless.

Reluctantly Drake crawled out of bed and now his headache was on full force again.

"What are you waiting for, young man?", she asked and turned around.

"But…", Drake started, but his mother already left the room when he was hit by a sudden, harsh coughing fit which left him swaying on his feet, feeling pretty dizzy.

"Fuck", he moaned and stumbled downstairs.

_A liar will not be believed even when he speaks the truth._


	4. English Class With Mrs Havfer

*** * * [In the kitchen] * * ***

"Where's Josh?" Drake groaned and made himself a cup of cacao.

"He already left for school. You'd better hurry up," Audrey replied and watched him stir his sweet drink. "By the way, if you're not feeling well, you'd better drink this instead.", she added and swapped his cup for a glass of orange juice.

Annoyed, he drank a sip of his juice, and nearly spit it out when a sharp pain stabbed his throat. "Oww…"; he moaned and placed his glass as far as possible away from him.

His mother noticed the pained expression on his face and commented dryly, "You're a pretty good actor, you know that? If I didn't know better, I'd say you were sick for real. I mean, the constant shivering, your pale face, … You really should become an actor someday."

"Mom! Hell, I'm not faking it! How come you don't believe me?" he nearly cried in frustration, too tired to argue anymore.

"That's simple. For one, you're constantly pretending to feel sick just to skip school, and two, Megan told me about the conversation you and Josh had the day before, you spoke about skipping school again to escape from Mrs. Hayver. I know all about you, you can stop lying to me, I won't believe you."

"…**Megan**", Drake barked but regretted this action, because it was followed by a hacking cough and a sharp pain in his throat.

"See you after school, honey.", Audrey waved goodbye and Drake reluctantly left for school.

*** * * [At school, middle of the first lesson] * * ***

He was late. Once again. Terrific.

This was no use whether he was in time or not, because his teacher Mrs. Hayver already hated him.

Hesitantly he knocked at the door, wishing himself far far away from this place.

He howled when a well known (and well hated) voice asked him to come in.

"Oh Drake? I didn't expect you! Josh told me you were home in bed.", Mrs. Hayver stated surprised and obviously unpleased. Drake just shrugged, too tired to answer, and took his seat next to Josh.

"I'm speaking to you, Drake.", she snarled and gave him a dirty look.

"It's true, but you won't believe me. Mom didn', either.", he mumbled and pressed one of his cold hands against his forehead, trying to soften the throbbing pain.

"Did I ever tell you that I really like your mother?", Mrs. Hayver smiled.

"Uh-huh…", Drake responded somewhat lamely.

"Oh, and before I forget, one more thing, Drake.", Mrs. Hayver added.

"What would that be?", Drake gazed at her.

"I hate you.", she announced, giving him her best smile.

"Yeah, I know…", he howled and rested his head on the desk.

_[For those of you, that are not familiar with Drake and Josh, this is sort of a running gag. In mostly all of the lessons she announces how much she hates him^^ ]_

The rest of the lessons were like usual. English. Maths. Chemistry.

Briefly: Boring. Really boring. At least for Drake.

Josh got lauded for knowing everything, Drake got scolded for just being himself.

Like every day, nothing unusual.


	5. Mindy And The Locker

*** * * [ After school in the hallway] * * ***

"Did Mom send you to school like this? Just what did she think she was doing? You're obviously not well. It's easy to see, you didn't speak with a girl for almost the whole school day. You're definitely sick.", Josh stated, outraged.

"She didn't believe me. Megan told her something about me planning to skip school.", Drake responded briefly and swiped his hand under his nose, which was gradually getting stuffed up.

Still pawing at his nose he gazed at Josh and asked shyly,

"Uhh…Josh? Do you have a Kleenex or something? I feel like I gotta…Heh'Ksshh-eww. Uh crap…HehKSHH" He cupped his hands over his face, trying to fight it off.

Josh gave him an astonished look when he watched his brother struggling with the urge to sneeze once more, but didn't react till Drake moaned, "Hurry up, Josh!", a panicked expression on his face. If he wasn't this desperate it would be hilarious to see him like this. Face flushed with embarrassment, his nose twitching constantly, and his teeth clenched together, but actually Josh felt a bit concern for his older brother.

"Oh God.", Drake moaned when a well-known girl came round the corner.

Reluctantly he poked his head into Josh's opened locker, pretending to look for something in it, which he actually was.

"Hello Mindy," Josh greeted cheerfully. "Hey Josh," she greeted back and gave him a soft kiss on his lips, "what is Drake doing inside your locker? He isn't looking for a book, is he?"

Josh turned around surprised and stuttered, "Uhm…Looking for the chemistry book."

"You already had chemistry today, and we don't have to do any homework, have we? Never mind, I gotta go, honey.", she replied witty and disappeared.

"Heh'keSHH-uhh…," a noise echoed through Josh's locker, then a wet sniff and a sigh.

"You doing alright?", Josh asked hesitantly and avoided to look at the confused faces of his classmates.

"I'b perfectdly fide," a pretty stuffy voice answered.

"Did you find anything?", Josh wanted to know, but a gurgling sound inside the locker answered his question. "Eww, gross, dude.", he stated but his brother didn't answer.

"Come on, let's get you home," he advised when a slightly red-nosed Drake appeared beside him.

"Best thing I heard all day," he mumbled, shouldered his bag and closed the locker.

Josh stared at the locker,

"Drake…Did you leave the used…Ugh, you are so gross, man."

Drake shrugged and gave him one of his well-known grins.


	6. Thermometer Panic

* * * [After school, in the kitchen, Lunch] * * *

"Hi Audrey," Josh greeted her and approached the kitchen table.

"Hey Bob," Drake greeted and settled in on the couch.

"Did you just call me 'Bob'?", Audrey wanted to know slightly confused.

"Dooo, I didd't."

"What's the matter with your voice, Drake? Still pretending to be sick? You can spare me this, Megan told me everything about your plans."

"Id's nothigg, you dod't believe me either way."

"Mom! Drake is really coming down with something! He's not pretending. The whole time in school he was miserable," Josh put in his two cents.

Like to demonstrate Drake bent forwards, merely catching a sudden sneeze in his hand.

"Aww, bless you, my dear. But Megan…"

"Kshh'uhh", another sneeze found his way out of Drake and left him sniffling desperately.

"Oww," he sighed and slipped down a bit in his chair.

"Okay, okay, I believe you. Let me first get you a thermometer," Audrey disappeared and Josh sat down beside his brother, "Are you really feeling that bad?"

With feverish eyes Drake looked at him and answered, "Do I look like I'm lying to you? I wish I wouldn't feel like that. Being sick is only fun as long as you can enjoy it, that means relaxing the whole time and phoning with hot girls, but feeling like crap is not exactly on my "that-is-fun"-list."

Josh gave him a worried look when he was doubled over again, coughing painfully.

Suddenly the door flew open and like a bat out of hell Megan rushed into the room.

"Hello boobs," she greeted them and gave Drake a smug grin, "The little boob is sick, huh? Feeling bad? Oh…How lovely this sounds to me."

"Josh…kill…her…at once!," Drake spluttered between hacking coughs and shook a fist at her.

Before his brother could react, she disappeared and Audrey entered the room, armed with the thermometer and a lot of other stuff. "Open your mouth," she ordered and swayed the thermometer.

Drake's face dropped when he caught a glimpse of the huge pile of awful tasting medicine. "Uhm…But I don't waaah…want to. I feel fi…ihh…fine."

He caught his breath and took a few steps backwards, eying the evil thermometer.

"Stay still. It won't take longer than a few minutes," Audrey sighed, but her son was still looking for a means of escape.

"Walter, would you lend me a hand?" she asked her husband, who entered the living room.

"Why yes. How?" he answered and watched his wife gesturing something. "Ahh, I understand," he replied and unhesitatingly pinned Drake's arms behind his back while Audrey stuffed the thermometer into his mouth.

"Nnnggg! Mhhmm mmm nggnnn …Mhh mhh!" Drake uttered and tried to free his arms, with no success. He gave an annoyed sigh and relinquished.

Josh watched the spectacle big-eyed, he had never seen his brother like this before.

Quite amusing, but still he was his brother.

Suddenly Drake stirred, a panicked expression on his face.

"Mhhh! Hmm ngg GnnnNNNh! MmmhmHmmHHH! Gnnggg!",

he couldn't calm himself down and sounded gradually panicky.

"What's the matter, is he in pain?" Walter asked Audrey, but Josh, who took in his twitching nose, and answered instead, "No, I don't think so. I think he is…"

_Click._

The thermometer hit the ground with a quiet sound which was followed by a mighty gasp. "Hhhehhh"

Still trying to free his arms Drake bent forwards and released a desperate sneeze towards the ground. "Heeh'KSHhh-uhh."

He wasn't done and announced shakily, "Wa..hah…Walter, let go of my ha…haaahh.."

Walter let loose his arms and Drake's hands snapped forwards to cover his face for another heart-wrenching sneeze. "Hehh'KiSHH-eww."

"Hehh…Hehhh…," he gasped, but the tickle inside his nose didn't back off.

"Hiih'KESHuh," he caught wearily into the crook of his elbow and nearly collapsed with exhaustion. "Wow wow, stay with me!" Josh squeaked and steadied his brother, his parents were still taken aback.

"Tissue…," he moaned and as quick as a lightning his mother stood beside him, handing him a whole box of tissues.

"Back to bed. Josh watch over him," she ordered and Drake managed his way upstairs, followed by his brother who was carrying the stuff she handed him.


	7. Haha, very funny

*** * * [Their bedroom] * * ***

As soon as they entered the door into their room, Drake appeared a lot healthier and even did a little dance repeating "Finally. Finally. Finally" over and over again till he felt a wave of dizziness and stopped.

Josh gave him a confused look. "Are you…not sick… at all? I don't understand," he said and placed the stuff on their little table in front of the TV.

Drake gave him one of his best smiles and admitted, "Naah, I am sick. At least it feels like this. But not that bad. As long as I appear sick to Mom, she won't send me to school and I can sleep as long as I want to. That's just peachy!"

"Uh hu…," was Josh's lame response when he settled in on their couch.

Suddenly the door flew open and their little sister came in.

"You! Why does Mom believe you? That's unfair!", she pouted and gave him a nasty look.

"Hehh'KSHHhh" Her brother sneezed freely over his shoulder, climbing into his loft bed.

"Possibly because I ab sigck for real?" he offered and slipped under his covers.

"Eww, gross. But how is that?" Megan asked perplexed, "You can't sneeze on command, can you?"

"Who says I can't," Drake replied, his grin even bigger, "I don't know, but since this morning my nose just won't stop tickli…ihh….Iii'Kshh-uhh. See?"

He sniffed wetly and rubbed vigorously at his reddening nose.

"But, that's not possible! I mean, I just let Jules sneeze on your pillow to make you feel bad, not to actually get you sick," Megan muttered confused.

"You did what?" both brothers shrieked and scrunched up their faces in disgust.

"You're not serious, are you?" Josh asked and Megan's face lit up.

"Yeah, I am. Look at him, isn't this enough to proof?"

She pointed at Drake, which nose was twitching involuntary.

"Ha ha. Very funny," he answered before bending at the waist with the force of the sneeze.

"Hhh'ehKT'shhh"

When he took a look at his hands where the most of the mist hit him, he moaned and scanned the room for something to wipe them. In the meantime Megan squaked, "See ya boobs" and disappeared.

"Here, take these," Josh handed him the box of tissues that was standing on the little table.

"Uh…thaggs," he responded, plugged a few tissues out and cleaned up.

After he gave his nose a wet blow he tested breathing through it, but with no big success.

"This beast," he growled and launched into a hacking cough. Josh gave him a sympathetic look and asked him if he wanted some tea for his throat.

"Uh, fuck it," Drake sweared when he recovered and rested his head on the pillow.

"Feel better," Josh said and grabbed a book from the table.


	8. You Crazy? I'm older than you

It was already evening when Drake woke up.

"Whad tibe is id?" he wanted to know and propped himself up on the bed.

"Nearly 11 o'clock. Do you want to eat something? I got you some soup,"

Josh offered but Drake made a face.

"Don'd wand soub. I wand sobe sweeds," he sulked.

Josh rolled his eyes and promised, "I'll get you some sweets, okay? But you have to eat some soup first."

"Mhh…," he hummed in agreement when his brother climbed next to him into the loft bed and placed a tray with soup and tea on his lap.

Unwillingly Drake took the spoon and stirred his soup.

"'m so tired..." he moaned and closed his eyes.

"But you have to eat something!" Josh answered and caught a glimpse of his feverish cheeks, "Uh, okay. Give it to me."

He took the spoon out of his brother's hand and filled it with soup.

"Open your mouth," he ordered and Drake mumbled, "You crazy? I'b older thad you, there's no way you feeding be" but opened his mouth anyway.

Carefully Josh slid the spoon into his brother's mouth and waited till he swallowed.

"So bad?" he asked.

"Doh. Tastes good," Drake admitted and coughed weakly into his shoulder.

"More?"

He nodded and opened his mouth again.

Spoon by spoon they emptied the plate and Drake dozed off from exhaustion.

Josh was a bit worried.

Drake rarely got sick, and when he does, it was always something serious.

This midday Drake seemed to be fine although he had a little cold, but now it didn't look anymore like he caught a cold, it rather was the flu.

Josh took in his red nose, the feverish shimmering eyes and the blushed cheeks.

His brother did look miserable. He wasn't making it up at all.

"Let's see what the next morning brings," he thought, put the covers over Drake and crawled into his own bed.


	9. Such A Great, Caring Sister

Yawning Josh pressed the "snooze" button on his alarm clock to get at least 5 more minutes sleep, but Drake ruined his plans by hacking nearly the whole time.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Drake, who was coughing so hard that he nearly sat upright in his bed.

"You still alive?" he asked and yawned once more.

"Almost," was the answer before his brother slumped back and cuddled into his blanket.

Josh crawled out of bed and put on some clothes before he took another look at his brother.

"Why are you staring at me?"

He shrugged and answered truthfully, "I wonder if you're going to school."

At this point Drake poked his head out of his bed and asked provoking,

"Do I look like I'm going to school to you? Just wanna sleep…"

He looked miserable. His hair was greasy and stuck out in all directions, his eyes were droopy with dark circles below, besides his nose adopted a faint pink colour which fit perfectly to his reddened cheeks.

"So I take this as a 'no' ?"

"Heh…KSHhh"

"I see your point. Alright. Get well."

He grabbed his school bag and rushed downstairs.

* * * [Breakfast] * * *

As Josh entered the kitchen his little sister gave him a fake worried look and asked nearly convincing, "Morning Josh, I hope you are feeling alright. I don't want you to catch some of Drake's germs. By the way, how is he? Oh, my poor baby brother."

Audrey stroked Megan's hair and soothed, "Aww, you are so caring, your brothers can be very glad that they have such a great sister. I'm sure Drake will be fine."

"Oh, and Josh," she turned to him, "wash your hands frequently!"

He gave her an annoyed look and his eyes drifted over to Megan, who was sticking out her tongue when their eyes met. Josh barely resisted the temptation to kill her.

"Aye aye," he saluted, grabbed a toast and left for school.

Megan was such a pain in the ass.


	10. Daydream Believer

"Wake up, sunshine!"

A tall blonde girl sat down next to Drake, who sleepily opened his eyes.

"Are you awake?"

"Hmmmmm."

"Tending to 'yes' or 'no'?"

"Huh?", he suddenly realized that there was some girl sitting in front of him and quickly straightened himself up. Eventually he ended up hacking up a lung.

"Aww, poor baby."

She reached her hand out to feel his temperature and Drake leaned into her touch, his forehead glinting with sweat.

"You are hot," she stated and gave him a sweet smile.

"Thank you. You too," Drake answered and directed a weary sneeze into his cupped hands.

"Hhh..tchhh-uhh"

"You're so adorable when you are like this!" the girl squeaked and pulled him closer, her mouth less than an inch away from his, …

"Uhh..KShhh-uh."

He woke up, feeling some mucus dropping from his nose and sniffed in vain, in desperate need to find a tissue and immediately sneezed once more as soon as he got one.

"Just a fucking dream," he thought and blew his nose wetly, "a nice one."

He coughed some more into his blanket.

He heard faint voices talking in the background and he looked around in his room.

To his surprise he spotted Josh sitting on the couch with a girl.

"Oh, look Josh, he's awake," she said and Drake groaned when he recognized the hated voice.

"Middy, whad the hell are you doigg here?,"

he asked straight away and propped himself up on the bed.

"She's my girlfriend, she's allowed to be here once in a while," Josh explained and looked up at him, "besides, how are you feeling?"

"Peachy," he grumbled and climbed down the ladder of his loft bed, tugging the box of tissues under his arm.

"Hilarious to look at you," Mindy stated when Drake settled in next to them on the sofa, trying to wipe away the wet trail streaming from his nose.

"Ead be," he hissed and buried his nose in a wad of tissues, blowing thickly.

"Wow, I think you are the snottiest person I've ever seen," she laughed amusedly.

"You are a paid idd the ass, I'b leavigg," he announced, grabbed the tissue box, a DVD, and banged the door.

When Audrey entered the living room she found a pathetic, shivering pile of blankets and pillows which was obviously watching TV and coughing constantly.

"Drake? You…in there?" she wanted to know and lifted one corner of the blanket.

She saw a tired, exhausted creature which was extremely pale in the face except the bright, red nose.

"Hi Audrey," it crooked and let loose another round of harsh coughs.

"You sound terrible, honey, why are you not in your bed?"

"Middy is there, she hades be, you know?" he moaned and straightened himself up.

"Megan is at her friends over night, what do you think about sleeping in her…"

"Do way, I'b dot sleepig id a roob with pink furniture.", he interrupted her and caught a loose sneeze in his sleeve. "K'tchh-uhh"

"But Mindy'll stay over night, also, it's a Friday."

Drake gave her an angry look before he raised the crumpled pile of tissues he's been holding up to his nose and blew wetly.

"Okay, but just this one night," he gave in, snatched his blanket and left the room.


	11. I Told You So

* * * [Later that evening] * * *

"Drake?"

Josh rushed into the living room, saw the pile of tissues on the couch, but didn't see any sign of his older brother.

"Hell, where are you?" he grumbled and switched the TV off, which was showing the end credits of some film.

"Drake is sleeping in Megan's room, he couldn't get any rest here, you know how he feels about Mindy," a voice told him and he spun around.

His mum was standing behind him, sipping at a cup of coffee.

"Oh, erm, okay. Actually Mindy and me want to watch a movie and I thought Drake would be interested," he stammered and Audrey shook her head, answering,

"I don't think this is a particular good idea, your brother really feels like crap.

If you want to make him feel better, just bring him the tea I made him."

"Okay mom," her son replied, took the tea can and managed his way upstairs to Megan's room.

* * * [Megan's room] * * *

"Shh, be quiet, please, I think somebody's coming upstairs!" Drake whispered alarmed and pointed at Megan's wardrobe, but then changed his mind and pointed under the bed.

Within seconds the room looked like it ought to and when Josh entered, armed with the tea pot, Drake pretended to sleep, even though he knew he couldn't cheat him.

"What's going on here?" he asked when he deposed the can and mug on the bedside table.

Drake gave a false snore, but choked and ended up sitting upright, coughing into his – rather Megan's – blanket.

"What should be going on here? Just me here. Sleeping. Well, not anymore, thanks to you," he grumbled.

"Are you being funny?"

"Why should I? I just want to sleep."

"Uh hu, sure. It smells strange in here. Somehow like…incense sticks or so."

Drake sniffed experimentally and screwed his face up when Josh held a burning incense stick under his nose.

"Like I said, incense sticks."

Drake pushed his arm away and gasped for air, spitting out,

"Actually I lit a few, you know, they help with the congestion." before he brought his elbow up to his face and delivered three rapid sneezes into.

"Ihh'ksshh'uh, he'ksshh, Hdgg'zttsh"

"I see."

"I'b serious."

"You hate that stuff. But your girlfriend Susan doesn't."

"What do you bean?"

"Is Susan here?"

"Susan? 'course dot! Why would I keep her id here?"

"Because you are girl-mad?"

"Good poiddt."

"And I even know where you're hiding her!" Josh cheered and waggled his eyebrows before he opened the door of Megan's wardrobe, looking expectantly into it.

"Oh."

"I told you so."


	12. Knew You Do

"He's gone," Drake whispered and the blonde girl appeared by his side again,  
gingerly kneading his back..  
"Josh always interrupts us, I just lit the incense stick and then he burst in here,"  
Susan complained and sighed.  
"I wonder why, usually he's got a reason for doing that," Drake added.  
Exactly in that moment the door opened again and Josh bounced into the room.  
"I nearly forgot, are you up for watching a movie with Mindy and - ohh…Susan?"  
He froze at the point.  
"Erm…Hi Josh! Nice to see you," she gave him an insecure smile and continued caressing Drake.  
"I knew it."  
"Me either," Drake answered.  
"Ha ha," Josh frowned.  
"Great idea, Josh! Let's watch a movie, all together," the blonde cheered.  
Josh and Drake frowned at each other, but then shrugged, "Yeah, alright."  
"There's just one thing I need to do first," Drake announced as the rest left the room.****

* * * [In the boys' room] * * *

Mindy stared at the screen,  
"What the hell is the guy doing there in the middle of the plane crushing?"  
"Doing an exorcism." Susan answered like it was the most normal thing on earth.  
"You're joking. Only nutty people do that."  
"He's not nutty."  
"Yeah he is."  
"But he's good-looking."  
The three of them turned to Susan.  
_"What?"_  
"I like him. And his brother, he's so…tall!"  
She smiled sheepishly, "But I stick to him, he's cute."  
"And what about _me_?" Drake pouted and sneezed wearily into his sleeve.  
"_H'tchhh-uh_"  
"You're sneezy."  
"Yeah, exactddly whad I waddted to hear."  
"You're sneezy and even cuter."  
"Bedder."  
She stroked his hair and gently pulled him closer to give him a soft kiss.  
Drake responded her smile  
"I like."  
"Knew you do."

* * *

The next morning they get startled when a giant scream cut the silence.  
"What was that?" Josh asked sleepily.  
Drake chuckled.  
"Megan."  
"What did you do?"  
"I left her_ a little surprise_ under her blanket."  
"You're so gross, Dude"  
Both burst out laughing when Megan rushed into their room,  
throwing a bunch of used, snotty tissues in their direction still screaming "_EWWWWWWWWWWWW!"_  
"She served it right."  
"Definitely."

**FIN!**


End file.
